#metatarsal fractures

[stars-of-kyber]

All I wanted was my holidays.

I didn’t need a broken foot to speed things up!

Careful with what you wish for, mah guys!

On the plus side, I’ll have 15 days with my foot propped up? Lol (it hurts)

[gaysforbyler]

I have a fun game I like to play called “did i break my foot or is my plantar fasciitis acting up again for no reason?” It’s a close call

[perfectfootwearguide]

The Best Shoes After 5th Metatarsal Fracture Relief

Recovering from a 5th metatarsal fracture can be a challenging period, particularly when it comes to mobility and footwear. The right shoes are crucial not only for comfort but also to support the healing process. In this article, we will guide you through the best shoes to consider after experiencing a 5th metatarsal fracture, helping you make an informed choice to aid your recovery.

Understanding the 5th Metatarsal Fracture

The 5th metatarsal bone is located on the outer edge of your foot and plays a vital role in balance and weight distribution. A fracture in this bone can result from direct impact, twisting injuries, or overuse. Healing correctly is paramount, and wearing the appropriate footwear is a significant part of this process.

Key Features of the Best Shoes After a 5th Metatarsal Fracture

When selecting shoes post-fracture, there are several key features to look for:

Support: Shoes should provide excellent arch and ankle support to reduce pressure on the fractured area.

Cushioning: Adequate cushioning helps absorb impact and can reduce discomfort.

Wide Toe Box: Shoes with a wide toe box prevent additional pressure on the toes and allow space for swelling.

Adjustability: Shoes with adjustable straps or laces can accommodate changes in foot size due to swelling.

Stiff Sole: A stiff sole helps to minimize movement of the fracture site, promoting healing.

Top Footwear Choices

1- Orthopedic Shoes: Orthopedic shoes are specifically designed to support and accommodate the unique structure of your foot. They often include all the essential features needed for someone recovering from a 5th metatarsal fracture, such as enhanced support and superior cushioning.

2- Walking Boots: For the initial stages of recovery, a walking boot may be recommended by your doctor. These boots are designed to immobilize the foot, allowing the fracture to heal without risking further injury.

3- Supportive Sneakers: Look for sneakers that are designed for stability and cushioning. Brands that are often recommended for foot injuries include Asics, New Balance, and Brooks. These sneakers typically offer good arch support and have a cushioned sole to minimize impact while walking.

4- Sandals with Arch Support: When the weather is warmer or if you're looking for something more breathable, sandals with good arch support and adjustable straps can be a suitable option. Brands like Birkenstock or Orthofeet offer models that are comfortable yet supportive.

Tips for Choosing Shoes After a 5th Metatarsal Fracture

Consult Your Doctor: Always consult with your doctor or a podiatrist before choosing new footwear after a fracture. They can provide personalized advice based on the specifics of your injury.

Try Them On in the Afternoon: Your feet naturally swell throughout the day, so trying on shoes in the afternoon can help you find a fit that will be comfortable throughout the day.

Check for Return Policies: Since fit and comfort are crucial and can be hard to get right, look for stores or brands that offer favorable return policies.

Conclusion

Choosing the best shoes after a 5th metatarsal fracture is crucial for your comfort and recovery. By focusing on shoes that offer support, cushioning, and a proper fit, you can help ensure a smoother and more comfortable healing process. Remember, the right shoes not only ease your way back to mobility but also help prevent future foot problems.

Whether you opt for orthopedic shoes, supportive sneakers, or adjustable sandals, the most important thing is that your choice supports your recovery goals. Always keep in touch with your healthcare provider to monitor your progress and make adjustments to your footwear as needed during your recovery journey.

[queenbeyondthewalll]

The main problem with probably having osteoporosis in my feet (still waiting on the bone density test but it’s extremely likely according to my doctor) is that saying “I have fractured a metatarsal” does not sound nearly as good as “I broke my foot a bit”

[b0ng05]

Sam Carpenter x Fem!Reader:

Injured

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Word Count: 1937

Summary: Sam broke her foot at the gym, and her loving girlfriend is there to dote on her

!MDI 18+! SMUT

Also, Not Proofread💅

Master list/ Request list

I hold in a laugh as I walk into Sam and I’s apartment, on the couch sat Sam with her casted foot propped up on a pillow on the coffee table. She wore an annoyed yet pouting look, her bottom lip jutted out a bit and her brows furrowed in frustration of her situation. Her arms crossed, making her muscles bulk out a bit more.

“Hey honey, how are you?” I ask, trying to stifle a small giggle at her expression.

I make my way over to the couch to sit next to her, kissing her cheek softly.

“About as good as I can be after dropping a weight on my foot.” Sam grumbles as she stares at the tv, which was playing an episode of Survivor.

“You should’ve been more careful,” I say, cringing after I see the glare she gave me.

“I am careful…” Sam mumbles, wrapping her arm around my shoulder before slyly flicking my arm with the same hand.

“How bad did you break your foot?” I ask, curling up to her side.

“An acute metatarsal fracture. Doctor said it might take weeks or months to heal, all I know is I want this damn cast off.” Sam remarked, her hand softly rubbing over the spot she flicked.

“How did you even drop a weight on your foot?” I ask, stroking her hair back out of her face.

“I was trying to swap weights on the benchpress, it just slipped out of my hands I guess,” She mumbles, a bit embarrassed.

“It’s alright, just means I get more attention cause you can barely workout now,” I tease with a playful smile as I lean up to kiss her jaw.

“I see how it is, you enjoy my pain, huh?” Sam jokes with a squinting stare.

“Kiss me and find out?” I joke with a teasing smirk.

“And how exactly would that help me-” Before Sam can finish her sentence, I steal a small kiss, teasingly biting her lip as I pull away before looking at her with a mischievous grin.

“That did actually help, maybe a few more,” Sam teases with a playful smirk, tapping her lips with her pointer finger.

I giggle and lean up again, our lips locking in a soft, slow, sweet, and loving kiss. My hand moves to run through her long dark hair gently as hers move to softly rub my waist with her thumbs.

“So how exactly did you get to the hospital, and then back home…?” I inquire after our lips part.

“... I had to call Tara. It was a harrowing process.” Sam states, slightly cringing at the memory of her with her arm wrapped around Tara’s shoulder as Tara tried to help her walk in and out of the buildings. The total process took them hours due to Tara being significantly shorter than Sam.

“Could’ve been worse,” I try to reassure with an amused smile.

“How? Tara almost fell over trying to help me, 4 times,” Sam scoffs trying to stifle a laugh at her own comment.

“She did her best.” I say trying to hold a straight face as a grin itches the corner of my lips.

“That she did.” Sam grins with a chuckle as she leans over to kiss my cheek.

“I love you.” I say, with a smile as I kiss her cheek in return.

“I love you too. Now, since I’m kind of working with one foot, can you get me water?” Sam asks with a cheesy but charming grin.

“You’re lucky you have a cute face.” I tease as I stand up to grab her water, only for her to lightly slap my butt once I’m up.

“And you have a cute butt,” Sam teases back with a mischievous grin.

“Oh hush,” I laugh as I walk to the kitchen to go fill up a water bottle for Sam.

Once I come back and hand her the water bottle, she takes a sip and puts it on the end table next to her before pulling me back into her arms.

"So how was Tara?” I ask with a smile as I snuggle up to her.

“She was kinda busy cracking jokes about me breaking my foot, for me to have asked her,” Sam grins at the thought of her sister, despite the fact the girl started playing Big Foot by Nicki Minaj when Sam got in her car to go to the hospital, and the fact that Tara played it just to mischievously look at Sam and sing, “The bitch fell off, I said “Get up on your good foot!”

“Sounds about right,” I let out a small giggle as I poke the tip of her nose.

“Y’know usually people dote on the injured, but you and Tara are relentless, I bet you guys would hit someone with glasses on.” Sam playfully glares at me, before poking my nose back.

“Maybe I would, my hands are rated E for everyone,” I joke.

“Knew it,” Sam laughs before leaning down to kiss me.

I kiss back, our lips meeting in a sweet kiss. I could feel my heart swell and butterflies fluttering my stomach. Her soft lips parting as her tongue grazes my lip, I give her access. Our tongues meet in passionate dance. Sam’s hands move to my waist as mine move around the back of her neck, my nails delicately trailing up and down the back of her neck, causing a small but noticeable shiver to run up Sam’s spine. She leans in more, pulling me closer as we kiss.

As we make out, Sam moves her feet off of the coffee table, gently trying to lay me back on the couch, but as she goes to crawl on top of me I hear a small thump, she pulls back out of the kiss quickly. She bites down hard on her fist, stilling for a moment in pain.

“Sam? You okay, baby?” I ask worriedly as I caress her arm softly.

“I just smacked my foot so hard on the armrest.” Sam groans as she moves to cradle her casted foot, her face scrunched in pain and annoyance.

“Oh you poor baby,” I say trying to hold back a small giggle as I cradle her head against my chest and kiss her forehead.

“Don’t mock me in my time of need,” Sam jokes as she pokes my side making me giggle.

“Oh and what type of need is that?” I tease as I move to lift Sam’s legs onto the couch, making her look at me with a blush.

“Oh shut up,” Sam says with a blush.

I giggle and move to lay between Sam’s legs, being extra cautious of her casted foot. I caress her cheek before kissing her again, igniting our heated makeout session once more. I move to kiss down her jaw, down to her neck. I kiss her neck, my tongue softly running over her pulse point before sucking down on it, forming a dark hickey. Sam’s hands move, one threading through my hair bringing me closer, the other resting on my butt with a teasing grip.

I sit up, my hands grasping the hem of her shirt and gently tugging it off of her before leaning back down to start kissing along her collarbone, trailing my tongue along it delicately, causing Sam to let out a soft almost inaudible whimper. She holds me tighter as I kiss down to her chest, tugging her black sports bra over her head before I begin to give attention to her breasts. My hand teasing and rolling over the nub on one of her breasts, my mouth occupying the other, as Sam breathing begins to pick up. Her eyes fluttering shut as she relishes in the pleasure emitted from the action.

“Baby~” Sam moans softly, her hand resting in my hair.

I smirk as I begin to kiss down her stomach, my hand moving to softly rub her hip as I kiss just above her waistband of her sweatpants. My other hand moves to untie the strings of her pants before tugging the soft plush down her legs, being cautious of her injury. I smirk at the sight before me, her panties were slightly soaked with her wetness. I pull them off, not wasting any time. I lay back between her legs, pressing kisses to her inner thighs as I watch her grow more flustered, Sam was normally in control in our more intimate moments, so this made her feel extra vulnerable. I lift her legs over my shoulders gently before I lean in and lick up her wet slit slowly, watching her mouth open in pleasure as a shaky breath leaves her plump lips. I moan against her wet cunt, making her moan a bit louder, her hands tangling in my hair to pull me closer to where she needs me.

“Fuck, babe~” Sam whines as she bites her bottom lip.

I swirl my tongue around her clit, my eyes gazing up at her as I watch her face contort in pleasure. I thrust my tongue inside of her, my thumb moving to rub her clit to match the pace of my tongue which was teasing her with a slow pace.

“Faster~” Sam bites her lip as her head leans back onto the couch.

I add a bit of haste to my actions. My other hand moves to hold down her waist as her hips begin to buck and grind against my mouth. Her moans echo out as I continue to eat her out. I move back to suck her clit as my finger moves to tease at her entrance, her wetness so prominent that it slipped in with ease.

“Please, I’m getting close,” Sam mumbles through strung out moans.

She moans louder, her chest heaving as her pleasure starts to build up. Her hand grips the edge of the couch, the other tugging my hair as she gets closer. I slip in another finger, going a bit faster as I feel her pulsing around my fingers. I let her grind her hips against my mouth as she chases her high. She cums around my fingers with a loud moan of my name. I let her ride out her high until her thighs twitch from sensitivity. I carefully take her legs off of my shoulders as I lick her juices off of my fingers. Sam stiffles a moan at the sight as she pulls me down for a kiss.

The kiss is soft and loving, her hands caressing my cheeks delicately. As we pull away, I lean my forehead against hers, closing my eyes.

“I love you, Sammy,” I whisper softly with a smile.

“I love you too,” She replies after she catches her breath, looking at me with utmost love.

I smile and peck her lips before getting up to go get a rag to clean her up and to go get her different panties, considering the soaked state of her ones on the floor. When I return, she’s attempting to hobble off of the couch to come find me, unsurprisingly without her crutches.

“Sam!” I scold as I rush over to help her sit back down.

“Am I not allowed to get up now?” Sam playfully sighs as she sits down, not resisting it.

“Not without your crutches,” I smile, kissing her cheek.

I clean her up with the rag, and then help her back into her panties and sweatpants.

“Now this is what I call properly doting on the injured,” Sam teases, with a cheeky smirk before pulling me back into her arms as I giggle.

[tricktster]

preeeeeetty sure i fractured my fourth metatarsal yesterday due to an unexpected fall while trying to mosh to blitzkrieg bop in heels at a wedding after one too many glasses of wine

but i can never tell anyone so it doesn’t get back to my mom, who fractured her fourth metatarsal while dancing at a wedding and was thereafter subjected to my merciless insinuations that her fall was because she’d had one too many glasses of wine

[radiojamming]

How do we think John Hartnell got his injuries? They say he had a compressed vertebra, an injured ankle, a foot infection, and a shoulder injury. There doesn't seem to be any record of how these happened, and they didn't mention anything about it during his exhumation.

YES I LOVE THIS QUESTION

So there actually are some records of what happened from his forensic report from the '86 exhumation! Like a lot of things about him, it does take some guesswork until we build a time machine and study him like a bug the way I've always wanted.

Here are some selected parts of the autopsy report, which we can use to reconstruct what might have happened to him:

[About the cervical spine compression:] However, there does appear to be some compression of the superior end-plate of the body of C6, consistent with mild fracture, probably representing subacute injury. Cervical alignment is normal. There are no arthritic changes.

[About his upper shoulders and arms:] On some projections, the left acromion appears slightly tapered, possibly due to old trauma. A small spur off the posterior aspect of the left olecranon is also likely to be post-traumatic.

[About the wrists:] The wrists and hands are unremarkable, except for diffuse muscle wasting. There is mild bilateral negative ulnar variance (the distal ulna lies more proximal than the distal radius at the distal radioulnar articulation; if severe, this misalignment may predispose to avascular necrosis of the lunate). No evidence for fractures or arthritis was found.

[About the lower extremities:] The femurs appear normal. Hip and knee articulations are preserved. However, there is a slight widening of the medial aspect of the left ankle joint, raising the possibility of ligamentous injury. No fractures are noted. The talar dome and tibial plafond show no evidence for osteochondritis dissecans, an occasional sequel to subchondral injury. A few growth recovery lines (Harris lines) are noted in the lower tibial shafts. There is also some spurring off the anterior articular lip of the distal right tibia, and probably post-traumatic in origin. A more curious finding is a possible focus of cortical demineralization in the plantar aspect of the 4th metatarsal shaft of the left foot, best demonstrated on oblique projections. Actual disruption of the cortex may be present and could represent osteomyelitis. However, there were no overlying superficial ulcers or open wounds.

OKAY SO we have some key parts of these selections (parts I omitted included stuff like saying how Hartnell looked better than Braine; RIP buddy), and we also have to consider a few things in addition to these: Jartnell had already been exhumed twice before (1852 and briefly in 1984) and the earliest exhumation had done damage to his body, he had some obvious wasting from being stuck in the ice for 140+ years, and tuberculosis can damage far more than just the lungs.

What we can't be completely sure of is his family medical history, although the Inglefield & Sutherland exhumation attempt remarked that tuberculosis was "a malady to which it was further known that the deceased was prone." I haven't been able to find a clarification for this comment—I took it to either mean it was known that he'd died of TB, or it was known that he'd had TB in the past. (See: what I think his dad died from.) But we also can assume that the Harris lines in his legs show that he'd gone through some period of undernourishment at some early point in his life, which isn't too out of pocket for a Victorian working class person. Granted, he was nearly six foot tall and his brother was 5'8" (both taller than the average Victorian-era man), so his growth wasn't too arrested.

All to say that some of his forensic oddities may have come from an earlier time in his life, like an injury or a previous condition. The injury in his elbow, for instance, sounds like it came from earlier in his life. He had been a sailor on a multi-year voyage on the HMS Volage in the past, and went from a career of a shoemaker (which involved inhaling some gnarly chemicals like green vitriol/copperas, as well as repetitive motion injuries) to a full-time sailor without the benefit of training like his younger brother had. Some of those past injuries might have come from this time—workplace injuries, essentially.

The newer injuries, like the one in his neck, could have come from a wide range of sources. Consider that he did have a zinc deficiency, and some of the symptoms of this include night blindness, fatigue, and poor wound healing. He might have been more susceptible to falls, or had a delayed reaction time. The ankle injury, for instance, sounds like a bad sprain; there are a ton of different ways to screw up your ankle on a ship like that (swinging boom accident? fell off the rigging?? slipped on the ice???). The osteomyelitis in his foot might have had a correlation to this, or might have come from an older, poorly-healed injury.

However, he was healthy enough early in the voyage that he wasn't sent back to England during the check-up near Greenland. Either he hadn't presented all of these symptoms yet, or he was really good at hiding them.

This is all a long-winded, infodumpy way to say that our boy here had a medical history that would make you wince and give a sympathetic "oooooh". He was a working-class Victorian man with working-class Victorian injuries and maladies, and it's completely possible that his family history didn't help.

[celticcatgirl2]

🎵 “

Chorus:

206 Bones in the Body

206 That’s all there is

206 Bones in the Body

And if you sing it right

They sound like this….

The skull is the cranium, right on top

Immovable joint and not a soft spot

Scapula’s the shoulder blade, a real flat bone

Sternum’s in the center and protects the heart alone

Chorus

Clavicle’s the collarbone, fractures all the time...

Chorus

Radius and ulna are above the wrist...

Chorus

Phalanges, you’ll find, are in the hands and feet...

Chorus

The tibia’s the shin and the fibula - you’ll see

Is in the lower leg, just under the knee

Tarsal’s in the ankles, right near the toes

And metatarsal’s in the foot’s as far as we goes!

Chorus” 🎵

[evilsexy]

i think one of my metatarsals is fractured or something but i’m not gonna let it ruin my vibe

[radioactiveradley]

It’s SPOOKY SCARY SKELETONS MONTH

So let’s talk about yer bones! Yeah, that’s right, Captian Holt. I said –

An adult has (roughly) 206 bones (I say ‘roughly’! You can have non-pathological anatomical variation, such as lumbarised sacral vertebrae (an extra bone in your back) or accessory sesamoids like the flabella (a little bone at the back of the knee!))

A newborn has (roughly) 300 bones

That's a big difference! Almost 100 bones of difference! Where do they go?

Well, you see - as you get older, every time you come into the hospital we steal more of your bones...

Just kidding.

...Or am I

As an embryo, your skeleton is completely composed of cartilage. This gradually ossifies as you age, until, as an adult, you have a full skeleton, with only the interactive portions of joints being capped with hyaline cartilage.

[Paediatric normal whole leg radiograph, showing epiphyseal plates around the head of the femur, the femoral condyles, the proximal tibia, the distal tibia and the lateral malleoli that can mimic fractures. Courtesy of radiopaedia]

See all those weird blobs? Those are bones in the process of fusing together! The transverse lines that could be mistaken for fractures are actually epiphyseal plates – hyaline cartilage bridges between the shaft of a bone and what will become its tip, which don't attenuate x-rays, and thus appear black on our radiographs! This is where bone growth occurs - the cartilage forms a sort of template matrix that then ossifies into bone.

Compare our paediatric radiograph to the AP knee radiographs of an adult with no visible pathology:

[Adult normal AP knee radiographs, showing fully fused bones. Courtesy of radiopaedia]

See how all those ragged pieces have joined up? That’s endochondral ossification, BABY!

This is how we can figure out the age of a paediatric service user from their bones! Certain bones form at different times.

Let’s check out the carpal bones – all those fiddly little bones in your wrist! Anyone who’s binged Hatecrimes MD – sorry, House MD as often as I have will know the classic acronym for remembering the names of these bones. Moving thumb side to pinkie side, we have…

Scared (Scaphoid - red)

Lovers (Lunate - dark blue)

Hate (Hamate - green)

To (Triquetrum - yellow)

Try (Trapezium - orange)

The (Trapezoid - light blue)

Coolest (Capitate - purple)

Positions (Pisiform - pink)

[Normal adult wrist radiograph, shown with and without coloured carpal bones. Courtesy of radiopaedia.]

But did you know that these bones form at different times?

The Capitate ossifies at 1-3 months

The Hamate ossifies at 2-4 months

The Triquetrum ossifies at 2-3 years

The Lunate ossifies at 2-4 years

The Scaphoid, Trapezium and Trapezoid ossify at 4-6 years

And the Pisiform ossifies at 8-12 years

So, I can look at this picture, and tell you that this child is approximately 3 years old, because their Capitate and Hamate have ossified, and their Triquetrum is just visible, starting to ossify below the thumb (circled!)

[Normal wrist radiograph of a paediatric patient, triquetral ossification centre circled. Courtesy of Radiopaedia.]

Your bones continue to form and fuse until you reach about 25! Your olecranon (the bump of your elbow) starts to ossify at 6-11 years, and fuses at 13-16 years! We can look at the base of your fifth metatarsal to age afab folks who are approx. 10 and amab folks who are approx. 12, as this bone fuses in the 2-4 years following these ages! The medial end of the clavicle can be used to assess your age from approximately 18-22, and your facial bones continue to ossify into adulthood! How cool is that?

If you’re over 25, fret not – there’s still plenty of funky stuff happening to your bones. But we’ll get into all of that next time, when we take a look at the function of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and explore all the cool little jobs that your bones perform within your body - it's more than you might think! So, tune in next time for more Bone facts...

And thank you for reading!

[masterwords]

no better place

Summary: “I knew a new puppy was a bad idea.”

or

The time Hotch broke his foot stepping over a brand new puppy and spent the entire holiday season laid up.

Words: 5.7k

Pairing: Hotch/Morgan

Warnings: injuries & surgery, mention of clooney's passing

Notes: So...Comfortember is still happening but this popped into my head and I couldn't get it out so...now it's out there. Chicago Times, old men, Jack is at college and everyone they love comes to help. This should get busy and fun. I want to dive on to SO MUCH comfort. This is Chapter 1 of...many. Probably. I'll make it a landing page later.

****

“Fractured in two places? You’ve gotta be shittin’ me!”

Derek was staring at the x-ray like it had to be a joke. They had to have mixed it up with someone else’s.

“I told you,” Hotch replied with a smug little smile in spite of the fact that it was him sitting on the exam table with his foot draped in icepacks while he waited for the shot of whatever pain killer they’d given him to kick in. Derek rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“How’s that possible? It was one step.”

“I felt a pop. I knew right away.”

“Do we need to check for like, osteoporosis or something, doc? One step…come on. How?” Derek just couldn’t believe it and Hotch was more than a little irritated at how he was reacting. Some part of Derek refused to admit that getting older meant doing less with more consequences, and try as he might to outrun the perils of aging, it couldn’t be done. Still, Hotch wasn’t sure this had as much to do with him being older as it did with just simply landing wrong with his full body weight. He was pretty sure even ten or fifteen years ago it would have ended up with the same result. As if reading Hotch’s mind, the doctor just shook his head and pointed to the two small fractures in the top of Hotch’s foot, a common injury site that had a relatively high healing rate. He’d just begun to feel somewhat comfortable, resigned to his fate of lying on the couch watching the world go by for a couple of weeks when the other shoe dropped.

“This kind of break is extremely common, even in young people. There are a lot of small fragile bones in the foot. The breaks are clean but I am concerned that there are two of them, one in the 4th metatarsal and one in the 5th. This could make organic healing a challenge at your age. I am going to suggest surgery – the procedure would take roughly two hours, it’s an outpatient procedure so you can go home as soon as you’re cleared, and it doesn’t extend the healing time by much. What it would do is strengthen that area and give you the best fighting chance at regaining your active lifestyle.”

“Surgery?” Hotch was at least two full clicks back. The drugs they’d given him were strong and he was out of it. Derek had plenty of experience asking questions and slipped right into that part of his personality that had been neatly folded up and put away since he left the BAU. Suddenly he was Agent Morgan in the interrogation room again.

“What kind of surgery? What’s the prognosis with and without it, doc?”

“Here is the information, everything you could want to know about the procedure and why I am recommending it. If I didn’t know how active the two of you are, I would probably not be pushing for it but this injury could severely impact your lifestyle if it doesn’t heal correctly. And given your age, that’s unfortunately very likely. I’ll step out and give you a moment to look over the paper and talk it over, and then I’ll come in and we’ll splint it up and send you home to rest.”

“Thanks doc.”

Derek didn’t hesitate. He glanced down at Hotch who was lying on the table with his arm thrown over his eyes, and he pulled out his phone. He wasn’t exactly sure what time it was in Thailand but it didn’t matter, he had to call Savannah. Get a second opinion.

“This had better be good,” she said instead of hello. “It is 5am and I still had two hours on my alarm clock, Derek.”

“Good morning beautiful,” he said automatically, a smile on his face. Thirteen hours, he knew now. She was thirteen hours ahead of him and he felt a little bad calling and waking her up, but not bad enough that he wished he hadn’t called. Even when she was grumpy she made him smile. “I won’t keep you long, I just...we had kind of a situation happen and I need your opinion.”

“A medical situation or a Hank situation?”

“Hank’s good, it’s Aaron I’m callin’ about. He broke his foot this morning taking a step weird. Non-contact, two fractures, and Dr. Carter wants to do surgery. What do you think?”

“Did he leave the x-rays in the room?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Send me pictures of them, give me five minutes and I’ll video call you. I want to see him and his foot too okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

She didn’t even take the full five minutes, and when Derek saw her face he breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled at him gently and even in the dark of her room, with no makeup on and her gray flecked hair pulled back in a ponytail, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Has Dr. Carter come back yet?”

“No, just us. They gave Aaron a shot of something that looks pretty powerful and we’ve been waiting for it to kick in. I’d say it’s kicked in, he’s practically dead to the world.”

“Alright. Well I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but I agree with Dr. Carter. The fact that it was a non-contact injury makes me a little concerned about it happening again, and putting a couple of screws in there is going to help make sure it doesn’t by helping it heal correctly. There are no guarantees, but this would be the recommendation to just about any athlete with an injury like this. What’s your hesitation?”

“Last time he was under, his heart stopped.”

“That was a traumatic situation and emergency surgery to correct internal bleeding, Derek, not a scheduled outpatient foot surgery. I know you worry but this is a low-risk situation.”

“So you’d do it?”

“I would. Can I talk to him?”

Derek brought the phone to the side of the exam table and tapped on Hotch’s arm, rousing him. He hadn’t been sleeping, exactly, just zoning out somewhere in the caverns of his mind. “Yeah?” he rasped, lifting his arm to look at Derek. What he saw instead was Derek’s phone and Savannah’s smiling face and he followed her lead with his own sleepy, slow smile. “Hey you.”

“Hey yourself,” she said. “How you feeling?”

“Tired.”

“Yeah. They gave you the elephant tranquilizers huh?”

“Guess so.”

“Good.”

“Do you want me to have the surgery?” he asked, blinking slowly. There was only one reason she’d be looking at him right now and even if he couldn’t remember Derek calling her or any of their conversation that had happened right beside him, he knew that much.

“I do. Ultimately it’s your choice, but I agree with Dr. Carter.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it?” Derek asked, staring at Hotch with a look of pure confusion. Hotch just shrugged. “No fight?”

“I trust Savannah.”

“Okay then. Guess we’re scheduling surgery.” Derek’s mind hadn’t quite caught up to where they were at, not really. How they’d gone from his complete disbelief that there could be any broken bones at all to having two of them and surgery on the horizon was beyond him. He wanted to laugh and cry over the absurdity of it.

“Let me know when the surgery is. I’ll see if I can get some time off to come help with Hank.”

“Thank you,” Hotch said, throwing his arm back over his eyes to shield them from the harsh overhead lights. His head was pounding...it didn’t exactly hurt, not through the fog of the drugs, but it was annoying and the darkness made it stop. It didn’t do much to alleviate the intense throbbing in his foot though. That, he knew, he was stuck with for the foreseeable future.

Derek said goodbye to Savannah and hung up, shoving his phone back into his pocket before leaning down and kissing Hotch’s elbow. Hotch hummed in response and Derek only sighed miserably, already beginning a mental checklist of everything he would have to do to get their house ready. Moving furniture, getting a shower chair, installing bars in the bathroom. He would have to take time off of work, talk to his mom, call Penelope and tell her their trip back to Virginia was canceled until further notice. There was so much to do he didn’t hear the doctor knock before re-entering the room. “I knew a new puppy was a bad idea.”

It had only taken a week for him to come to that conclusion. One week ago things had been good, everything was on track for a vacation and a busy holiday season until the dog.

“A puppy?” Derek asked when Desiree brought her over, ready to convince him that it was time. She only shrugged and smiled, holding the tiny little ball of fluff up to Derek’s face. A black sable German Shepherd, all dark fur laced with enchanting bits of tan and silver and red. She stared at him curiously with dark eyes and he already knew he was going to have a hard time saying no, something about her already seemed to know him and love him. It made his chest ache. Clooney had been gone for a couple of years now, he’d been in good enough shape to live longer than a dog his size should have and Derek had almost convinced himself Clooney might be able to live forever. Until he didn’t, and while the years had padded his grief some and their little family had moved on from tears to reluctant acceptance, he wasn’t sure he was ready to get another dog. To replace Clooney.

“She’s not a replacement, Derek,” Desi said, shoving the dog into his arms. “I loved that old fool too, but Jack’s gone off to college and Hank needs someone to play with. You guys could use a guard dog living in that neighborhood.”

Derek regarded the puppy with her floppy ears and huge chunky paws. “A guard dog?”

“Oh, Derek come on. She’s basically Clooney’s granddaughter or something. I don’t know how dog breeding works but her mom is related to Clooney somehow.. Just take her for a week, test it out. If she doesn’t work out I’ll find someone else or take her myself.”

“Why aren’t they training her?”

“She’s a little broken, just like you like ‘em.”

She was bred for duty as a K9 but she had a small heart defect that, while the vet assured them it wouldn’t affect her quality or duration of life, would preclude her from duty as a K9 cop. Desi’s fiance was one of the K9 officers and was trying to get her help to find families for the dogs they couldn’t use. “One week.”

The very first day, she peed inside of Derek’s favorite running shoes and chewed up the toe of Hotch’s pair. Lesson learned, no more shoes beside the door. She wasn’t terribly destructive after that, though she did do a lot of peeing on the wood floor. Hank played in the yard with her for hours, chasing her and playing fetch, and at one point while he watched and found himself softening up to the idea, Derek wasn’t sure who exactly was fetching.

“I don’t want a puppy,” Derek said as they crawled into bed that first night. Already his resolve had weakened but he wasn’t there yet. He would be sad to give her back, sure, but he would still do it. “She’s cute, I’ll give her that...but a puppy? We’re getting ready to fly to Virginia...what do we do with a puppy?”

“Let’s give her a chance. I don’t want a puppy either but Hank seems very motivated to help. Maybe we can use this as a tool, he’s old enough for a little responsibility.”

“He’s seven, he ain’t trainin’ no puppy.”

“I don’t mean that, but he can feed her and take her into the backyard when she needs to go out. He can keep her brushed. He could probably teach her a few little tricks.”

“You’ve gone soft in your old age.”

Hotch had no argument for that, he knew he had. And he supposed it was his right to do so, he’d been gruff and stern far too long. He simply smiled and nestled down beneath the blankets. It was getting cold. “I know you miss Clooney. I do too, every day. She wouldn’t replace him. No dog could ever. But it might be nice having another dog around.”

Derek tried to enjoy the puppy, but her bark grated on his nerves and the peeing in the house was about to drive him crazy. Hotch wasn’t crazy about any of that either but he was trying to maintain his status as good cop to Derek’s bad cop at least for the week.

And then Hotch fell. Well, he didn’t exactly fall, that was the part that Derek was the most bothered by. He never hit the ground, that would have made more sense. He just stepped wrong. Coming up the back porch steps after taking the as yet unnamed puppy out in the early morning, he hopped up the slick steps to the back deck like usual. The same way he took the steps every day, except this time a puppy made a mad dash and darted beneath his feet to chase a bird that landed in the yard. He pivoted on the slick wood to avoid stepping on her and landed with all of his weight on his lead foot at an unnatural angle. He knew right away his foot was broken, or maybe his ankle, that part he didn’t know. But it was broken, that he was sure of. He felt a sickening pop that released a wave of pain that coursed from his toes to his knee. It took everything in his power not to collapse right there on the spot. Instead he just let out a low groan and limped pathetically back into the house like a lame animal, waiting for the puppy to follow him inside before shutting the door and falling into a kitchen chair. Derek found him at the table with his head down ten minutes later, just breathing through the worst of it.

“What’s up?” He asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He looked down at the puppy sitting at Hotch’s feet and thought she had a strangely sad or guilty look about her.

“I think I broke my foot,” Hotch said from inside of his arms. The act of talking made him feel dizzy and sick, his hands were shaky. He knew he was in some kind of shock. “Could you get me some ice please? I can’t walk.”

“Can’t walk? Broke your foot? How? It’s 7am man.”

Derek went to the kitchen and rummaged through the freezer for an ice pack quickly, confused and trying to reason out what could possibly have happened in the thirty minutes since Hotch had gotten out of bed. Walking back to the table, the look of confusion plastered on his face, he watched Hotch slide his foot gingerly out of his slipper with shaking hands and he saw it right away. His ankle and the top of his foot were already swelling, the color changing from pale to a pinkish red. He couldn’t believe his eyes. “You’re gonna have to talk to me here.”

“I was coming up the stairs,” Hotch said quietly, taking the ice and setting it on his foot now propped up on the chair beside him. The pressure from the icepack hurt and he had to put his head down again to ride out another wave of intense nausea. “She got under foot. I didn’t want to step on her so I just shifted a little and landed funny.”

“So you didn’t even fall?”

“No.”

“Probably just sprained…”

“I felt it pop Derek.”

It didn’t seem possible, but Derek made the call to Hotch’s doctor’s office to see if they could get him in today to check it out. Neither of them wanted to go to the Urgent Care and sit for hours, it wasn’t exactly an emergency. The pain came and went, a little ibuprofen at least took the edge off and Derek didn’t have any problem helping him from the kitchen to the living room so he could lay down on the couch to try and rest off the shock. From there they waited. His doctor was able to fit him in for an appointment in late afternoon with an x-ray scheduled first, they just had to stay comfortable until then. Derek still couldn’t believe it.

“It can’t be broken.”

Derek couldn’t bear to watch the x-ray, watching them move Hotch’s foot into positions that caused him pain. He was in the room but he couldn’t look. Still, the longer the day wore on and Hotch’s condition didn’t seem to improve the way it might have if it was a sprain, he began to come around on the whole broken idea – they wanted to put Hotch in a wheelchair and he didn’t argue. If it was a sprain he would have been walking on it. He might be getting up there in age but he was still tough as nails – they’d both suffered their fair share of strains and sprains as a natural side effect of their active lifestyle, so for this to take Hotch down...he knew it had to be big, he just couldn’t wrap his mind around it being this bad over nothing. Over a misstep. Because that meant it could have happened to him too, it meant that they had to be more careful with their bodies, it meant they needed to get into even better shape...he didn’t know. It unsettled every bit of comfort he’d developed over the last few years.

The worst part was, he found himself blaming the puppy. When they told him Hotch couldn’t walk for two weeks and he should spend most of that time resting, meaning he would have to take on extra work around the house, meaning they would have to reschedule their trip to Virginia to visit Penelope and the rest of their friends. Meaning a whole hell of a lot of things, all because Desi convinced him a puppy might be fun.

Well she was going to hear about this, because his idea of fun didn’t involve broken bones and crutches.

“We’re not keeping her,” Derek said as he helped Hotch from the wheelchair into the waiting car. There was no comfortable way for a man of his height to sit in any car with a broken foot, but they didn’t have far to go and Hotch didn’t complain even if Derek could tell he was uncomfortable. “Two more days and Desi can find someone else to take her.”

“Derek…”

Derek didn’t answer, and didn’t look at Hotch because that might wear him down. Hotch had obviously already become attached to the little thing in spite of the predicament she’d caused him. To avoid having to look at Hotch, he swung them through their favorite place to get milkshakes and bought them a treat before driving home in silence. He didn’t want to be so cruel but this wouldn’t have happened if not for the puppy, and now he had to call Penelope and tell her they weren’t coming to visit, that they instead had to spend a week preparing for surgery and then six to eight weeks (or more) recovering from it. It was going to crush her. She’d been preparing for their visit for weeks now.

“I’ll come to you!” she said, without hesitation. “You’re going to need the help and I have plenty of vacation time saved up. I was going to take the whole week you guys were here off anyway...I’ll get a plane ticket right now. How does two weeks sound? Is that too long? Is that long enough?”

“Babygirl, you don’t have to spend your vacation taking care of us.”

“I know, silly, but I want to. Let me. Please. I miss you both so much and you’re going to need the help.”

He found it impossible to say no to her, and by the time their conversation was over he had a time to pick her up from the airport on his calendar for the next morning and a little more peace in his heart. He knew she was going to convince him to keep the puppy too, but she would help him take care of Hotch and he could use her support. As soon as he was off of the phone, he went to tell Hotch they were about to have company and found him sleeping with the puppy lying on the floor beneath the couch looking up at him as he breezed through the room. She still looked sad and guilty, like she knew what happened. He felt a little bad for her so he scooped her up into his arms and gave her a kiss on the head, called her a good girl, took her outside to pee and called Jack while he sat out there waiting for her to do her business.

“Broken?! I’m gone for two months and my dad breaks his foot?!”

“It was a freak accident. He’s okay though, I’d let you talk to him but he’s sleeping on the couch.” The puppy was sleeping on his lap now, stretched out across his thighs like she owned the place. Derek had to admit that was sweet and he wondered if she knew, in some way. If she felt responsible. She’d been a little extra clingy since they got home, staying close to Hotch for no real reason he could account for. And the minute he’d allowed it, she was up on his lap.

“Do you need me to come home?”

“Absolutely not. You’re in your first semester of college, man. You don’t have to worry about us.”

“Apparently I do!”

“No, Jack, you don’t. I got it. Plus my whole family’s here, we got Jess...who I have to call next...and Penelope’s flying out. You stay in New York, be a kid out on his own, don’t worry about your old men. We’re fine.”

“Will you have him call me when he wakes up?”

“Sure thing.”

Jessica was livid. About what, she didn’t really have words, mostly just that he was hurt and he didn’t call her. “How much time should I take off?”

“You don’t have to take any time off. Just come by when you can. Penelope’s gonna be here tomorrow and she’s staying for two weeks. My mom and sisters are gonna help.”

“I’m coming by tonight with dinner, do not cook. We’ll make a game plan then.”

“Jess…”

“Derek, he’s my brother. Let me help.”

Derek sighed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want the help, he knew they were going to need it, it was just that he was starting to feel the crushing weight of being a burden to everyone he loved. He could only imagine how it was all going to make Hotch feel once he woke up and became aware of the situation. He was glad that all Hotch knew right now was whatever dreams he was floating through and the warm weight of the puppy on his legs.

His mom and sisters showed up with bags of groceries in their arms and a truckload of pillows stuffed into giant trash bags. “What’s all this?”

“Go get the walker from my car,” Fran said, handing Derek the keys. “It’s folded in the trunk.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

There was a walker, a shower chair and a small brown bag full of gel ice packs all stuffed into the trunk of her car. He scooped it all up in his arms and made his way back into the house, hoping they were all being quiet enough not to wake Hotch.

“What’d you do, rob the old folks home?”

“This belonged to your grandma, it’s been up in my attic since her hip surgery two years ago. I knew it would come in handy. Just needs a good wash.”

Desiree was looking at the puppy on Hotch’s lap while Sarah pulled out the lysol wipes and began cleaning up the dusty old medical gear. “You’re going to need to move this furniture around, make the walkways bigger.”

“I know.”

“And put some bars on the walls in the bathroom. Probably two near the toilet and another two in the shower.”

“I know, Sarah.”

“Hey, don’t take that tone with me. I’m just trying to help.” Sarah had spent the first few years of her adult life working in retirement and assisted living facilities, she knew all of the ins and outs. He was lucky to have her experience even if he didn’t exactly want it right now. He just wanted this all to go away.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m going to do some shopping tomorrow to get everything I need.”

“You have a week. I’ll help.”

“I got it,” he said a little indignantly. He could manage the repairs on his house himself, it was the only part of this whole thing he felt like he did have any control over. The only part he knew how to handle. But the look Sarah gave him was equally as stubborn, and he knew that whatever came out of her mouth next was going to crush his chances of doing it himself.

“He needs you to be available to help him, which means you can’t be out and about at the hardware store and punching holes in the walls. I know you got that whole Mister Fix-It thing you like to do, but you have to step back this time little brother. Your husband needs you.”

Yeah, he saw that coming. She knew how to break him down. He didn’t even recognize it until the tears were burning in his eyes and she was pulling him in for a hug.

“It’s all going to be fine,” she said quietly, patting his back. “He’s going to be okay. You’re just going to have to slow down for a while. It’ll be good for both of you.”

He nodded and tried to stop himself from crying but it was no use, and that was what Hotch woke up to. The sight of his sister consoling him beside a living room full of medical equipment that hadn’t been there earlier.

“Derek?” he asked, his voice a hoarse sleepy whisper. “What’s the matter?”

Derek sniffled a little and sucked it up, puffing up his chest and flashing Hotch his best smile. “Nothing. All good. How you doing? Can I get you something?”

Hotch scrunched up his nose and considered the questions but they were too much in the soupy mess of his brain. He let his hand settle on the puppy’s chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of her ribs and smiled.

“I think she likes me,” he whispered and Derek let out a laugh.

“I think she feels guilty.”

“For what?” Hotch asked and Derek just shook his head. Of course Hotch wouldn’t look at it like that.

“Nothing…” he said, brushing it off. “Let me get you some water.”

“Already on it!” Sarah called, rushing toward the kitchen. Hotch blinked stupidly around the room, as if realizing for the first time that it was packed with people. Fran and Desiree were moving furniture out of the way and unpacking what looked like every throw pillow they could find in Fran’s house.

“Ma, what did you do?” Derek asked as the pillows tumbled out of the bag. Fran just laughed.

“These are my extras.”

“I think you got a problem…”

“I don’t see you complaining when you come sit on my furniture.”

“What am I gonna do with a thousand Christmas throw pillows?”

“Prop your husband’s foot up, make him comfortable. He’s going to be laid up through the season so I thought it should be festive. I’ll bring over all of my good Christmas blankets in the morning but they had to go through the wash.”

“Ma…”

“Hush. Don’t you ma me, now sit down with him while we put this place together. I took care of your grandmother for six months while she healed, one of your sisters is in med school and the other has worked as a caregiver for years. I’d say we’re experts and you are simply in our way.”

“Ma.”

“Shh. Hush. We’ll make you a list of things to get done when we leave, but for now...sit.”

“I see why you’re so bossy…” Hotch whispered, sitting up enough to allow Derek room to squeeze in behind him before he leaned back against the brick wall he called a husband. Derek’s arms draped over his shoulders and circled him.

“You boys want me to turn on the TV?” Fran asked and Hotch was about to say something when Derek shook his head.

“No. Just do your thing.”

Hotch wouldn’t have minded the television on, it would have provided a distraction from the intense throbbing in his foot, but if Derek didn’t want it on he must have had a reason so he just lay there against him petting the puppy as he waited.

“Penelope’s flying in tomorrow morning,” he said, and Hotch nodded. He had already assumed that would be the case. No way they could cancel on her for this reason and have her just say okay, maybe another time. “She’s going to stay for a few weeks and help out. That cool?”

“Do I have a choice?” He asked it quietly but with a soft smile. Derek just shook his head.

“Nope.”

“Then yes, it’s cool. Anything else?”

“Jess is bringing dinner tonight. She wants to talk.”

“I figured as much. You made yourself busy while I slept. Did you call Jack?”

“Of course. He wants you to call him. Kid’s probably got a plane ticket ready to buy so you should do that soon. Tell him he’s forbidden to come home until his holiday breaks.”

“I’m sorry Derek,” Hotch said, his voice quiet and thick with emotion. Derek didn’t have to look at him to know he was crying, and part of that was the drugs they’d given him in the office but the rest...well that was just Hotch. He felt things so damn deeply.

“For what?”

“Don’t,” Hotch whispered, reaching up to swipe the tears from his cheeks. “You know why.”

“Nothing to be sorry for. Shit happens. We’re gonna be fine.” He knew Hotch wasn’t worried about himself, he was worried about how this was going to inconvenience everyone around him. All of the tasks he was responsible for around the house, taking Hank to school in the mornings, assistant coaching his basketball team, taking trips and Christmas shopping and sledding and...all of it gone. “We might never be alone again...but we’ll be fine. Come on,” Derek said, twisting around so he could look at Hotch. “Don’t cry. Come on. It’s gonna be hard but we’ve done hard things before.”

“I know.”

“Will you stop crying if I say we can keep the damn dog?”

Hotch scrunched his nose and sniffed, a little insulted that Derek was talking to him like he was a child. But it was also funny enough to make him smile. Glancing down at the dog, he patted her on the top of the head and let his hand rest there heavily. He didn’t have the strength to do much more. The drugs in his system were making time lag, making his body heavy and bone tired. They didn’t do much for the pain that drove in waves from his knee to his toes, but they did make him find it hard to care or focus there long.

“You hear that Paige? He says you can stay. I knew he’d come around.”

“Paige?” Derek asked, his voice cautiously quiet. Hotch had named the puppy. He clearly had no plans to give her back whether Derek had agreed to it or not.

Hotch hummed happily and nodded. “Satchel Paige. She loves the baseball Hank throws for her.”

“When did you decide all of this?”

“This morning. Outside. Was going to tell you, but...”

“Yeah,” Derek said, smiling down at her, finding that he’d been stroking her soft fur for the last few minutes absentmindedly. She was so warm, breathing slowly, nestled in against Hotch’s thighs. “I guess you had other things on your mind.” Satchel Paige. Paige. Something about her having a name that meant something to both of them, a link between them, the first member of their family that would come from their own union...it softened him up. And when she snorted and twitched her ear and stretcher her legs out stick straight before curling back up around her cold little nose, he knew there was no way he would have ever been able to give her back either. Hotch just knew it first.

“It isn’t her fault, you know,” Hotch whispered, running his fingers up her fuzzy little snout. He was already in love. “Look at her.

“I know. It just sucks, man. I hate seein’ you in pain.”

Hotch smiled and leaned back, closing his eyes. The world had taken on a foggy, unreal quality that made him feel dizzy. He sank into Derek and grounded himself against his solid form. “I’m alright. Just tired.”

“Then sleep. Jess will be here soon, then you can both call Jack together. I’m not allowed to move anyway...you might as well take advantage of this.”

Hotch didn’t need to be told twice, he was drifting off by the time Derek finished talking.

[funkycoloured]

this little shit tripped and landed on my foot while i was working and fractured two of my metatarsal bones. so, all i've been doing is rewatching all of the descendants movies and wallowing in self-pity, but once i feel better, i'm gonna make some bots + work on the requests i got, trust 🙏

[wandersee]

waiting to go to urgent care to see if i fractured my silly little metatarsal last night 😋 why must i be the master of destroying my toes especially against my bed frame (my feet point outwards so I'm cursed for hitting my toes/feet very hard against things RIP). but yeah it's never hurt this long and in this way before lol. There's also def bruising and swelling too.

[huomenhaamu]

One thing heals and another one breaks

Next thing I'll have to show a medical professional is a possible fifth metatarsal (little toe side middle of foot) stress fracture that's been getting worse instead of better

Having to do medical care and general help for other people makes me dismiss my own issues if they're just mildly annoying and don't actually stop me completely

Foot a little stiff? Well I've just helped clean and re-dress some open leg sores with their special pain meds and high tech wound dressings and compression socks, mine are fucking perfect in comparison

[narangmedical]

TENS Elastic Nail – Length 40cm, is designed for treating Diaphyseal and select Metaphyseal fractures in long bones, Subcapital Humerus, Metatarsal, Metacarpal, and complex Clavicular fractures in children. It is also effective for Diaphyseal fractures in the upper extremity and Clavicle Shaft fractures in adults. https://www.orthopaedic-implants.com/nails-wires-pins/nails/tens-nail.php

[slifarianhawk]

Chapter 42: Respects

I was crying. The face that Chris had made while I was being pulled away by Albert had broken my heart. I was told by my father to protect Chris, and while this would protect him for now, what are the long-term effects? It was moments like this when I wished I had a vice to cling to.

Albert drank and used to smoke when he was in the army. As soon as I found out, though, I helped him quit. Never did like the smell of tobacco burning. It reminded me of when my parents fought.

I shook my head while I was having a surgical shoe placed on my left foot. We were in the medical wing of Albert's Eastern European base. It was small and formerly a Veltro base. The doctor was nice but had a thick Russian accent.

"I am sorry, lady boss, but you have, without a doubt, fractured your fourth metatarsal on your left foot. Given your superior healing capability, I would say it still would take at least four weeks to heal." The doctor said as he closed the straps to the ugly shoe to my foot.

"And you are sure of this doctor? What about the children? Are they alright?" I asked a worried look on my face.

"You worry a bit too much about children. Your state is perfectly fine. As long as you don't take a fall down a forty-foot staircase, I am pretty sure you will be fine. Take a look at the latest ultrasound I just took." The doctor says, pulling up a picture on his monitor.

"What am I looking at, doc?" I asked, staring at the screen.

"Your virus is causing a special muscle around the children thicker than the average womb. It's like you are wearing a stabproof vest over a set of Kevlar clothing." He said, easing my worries.

"Thanks, doctor, but I should head to the airstrip now. I'm sure my husband is waiting." I said, standing up off the medical bed.

"Da, don't be a stranger. Do come to visit with younglings after they are born." The doctor said as I limped away.

As I was in the hallway, I saw Albert walking towards me. He zipped over to me and lifted me into his arms, bridal style as usual. I chuckled. I'm sure he loved holding me this way.

"I have fractured my foot, Wesk," I admitted shamefully only to have him kiss my forehead as we zipped through the base to the airfield.

"We are not made of diamonds and jade dearheart," Albert said, "we are still flesh and bone, as much as I hate to admit it."

I nuzzled into his chest as we arrived at the plane. The flight to Edonia would be short, but I knew I was going to sleep through it. What I knew was coming was something I had been waiting for a long time. A chance to meet my darling baby boy.

Reina Mueller was a dear friend of mine who helped me with hiding from Umbrella. Her dad had done it for years, so she picked up a few tricks. She was my midwife for my son's pregnancy. She taught me how to play a little bit of the piano, and I taught her how to cook some of my favorite meals. If it weren't for the fact I was with Albert and I loved him with all my heart, I would have stayed hidden.

"What are you thinking about my lotus?"  Albert asked as he stroked the small bump slowly growing beneath our hands.

"Of Reina Albert, she was a good friend. I'm sure Jake was raised well, and my contact has been training him to protect himself. I hope that my contact will recognize me. It has been a long time since I last saw him." I said, closing my eyes.

"I must admit I wish you had told me sooner about our children. I knew when you had disappeared, it was to hide from Spencer. I could have helped you, and we might have been able to see them." He said, stroking my hair.

"I know, the first time I was Sergei's thumb the entire time. He said he would keep the child safe, and little did I know that Spencer had recruited him a few years prior. When I managed to escape his grasp, I landed at a local orphanage. I hid the remaining two weeks of my pregnancy there. I met two wanna-be parents who were unable to conceive. The orphanage director said that I should give my baby to them instead of leaving it there. I agreed they took me to their small house in a tiny village in the Russian badlands. I didn't ask much about them. I knew the more I knew, the higher the chances Spencer would find Alistar. I left shortly after she was born. Gods, it took me so much not to get attached. It took me four days to recover and disappear. During those days, I fed her and helped change her." I heard Albert Shhh me as tears fell onto his lap.

"Breathe, my dear lotus, we will at least be meeting our son soon. Spencer and Sergei no longer stand in our way." Wesker said, stroking my hair.

He was right, and that thought made me smile. All we had to worry about currently was our vow renewal and meeting our son and Alex. However, she could wait. We've put off our happiness for so long. Things are finally coming to fruition.

I breathed slowly, my eyes still closed but a smile on my lips. I place a hand on my tummy, giving the little ones some attention. With a light snore, I faded into black.

When I awoke, I was in the back seat of a black Mercedes. Albert was at the wheel. I let out a soft moan and stretched my back. I noticed Albert looking at me through the rearview mirror.

"How long was I out for love?" I asked, sitting up.

"Four hours and thirty-seven minutes, to be exact. I changed you into funeral attire. We are going to be late, but we were never going to be part of the service, were we." Albert asked as I looked at the simple black dress that accented my belly.

"No, we were going to meet my contact after the wake," I said, pulling out my phone.

"We are here, dearheart. Let's wait in the tree line... there is no one here except a couple of gentlemen and a priest." He said, putting the car in park.

"And one of them is my contact." I sigh. How were we that late? Or did Reina keep hiding after I left?

"Should I step out?" Albert asked about to open his car door.

"No, I will. It's my contact who has been training our son for the past two years. I think you should follow me still, just in case." I said, stepping out of the car.

Albert followed me quickly out of the car and towards the few people in the cemetery. I stood just at the edge of the tree line. The priest was an elderly man and stood next to a tall brunette man who had a U.S.S. standard pistol on his hip. His hand was on a young man's shoulder. The kid looked like Albert just with bright red hair. It reminded me of my mother's hair.

"HEY!!! WHO'S OVER THERE!" The young man said.

I grimaced and walked forward with a limp, "I AM A FRIEND OF REINA MUELLER I WAS TOLD HER FUNERAL WAS TODAY!"

"YEAH, WELL, THIS IS A PRIVATE EVENT!! SO GET LOST!!" The kid yelled out.

"Let's just go dearheart, it's clear we are not wanted here," Albert said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I placed my hand on his face and stroked his cheek, "Just wait one second."

"If you truly are a friend of Ms. Mueller, then tell me what time does the Phoenix rise?" HUNK said, staring deep into my eyes.

The code phrase we had set up years ago. So it was clear he did remember me. He started to walk towards me, pulling out his pistol. The father looked horrified.

"The Phoenix herself rises at seven hundred forty-eight hours and falls when the light burns out of her heart. Who greets and bids farewell to the Phoenix when she falls and returns?" I asked, walking forward with my hands up and motioning for Albert to stay back for the moment.

As I walked forward Agent HUNK spoke, "The Grim Reaper himself greets the Phoenix upon her death arms open, welcome to see his long-forgotten friend and they bid each other goodbye once the fire in her heart is reignited granting her life anew. What treasure did the Phoenix last give the Reaper when they parted?"

We stopped in front of each other, I beckoned Albert forward, and HUNK motioned for Jake to come to him.

"The Phoenix left her chick with The Reaper for she knew her path was perilous and The Reaper her teacher had never let her down," I said, smiling as the Reaper hugged me.

"It has been a long time since we last spoke face-to-face, Tabitha," HUNK said as Jake and Albert arrived.

"You know this lady teach?" Jake asked, carefully eyeing me up and down.

"Yes, I was the one who invited her. Remember how I told you I had a job regarding keeping you and your mother safe." HUNK said, releasing the hug and putting away his pistol.

"Yea and what does that have to do with two random ass people showing up to my mom's funeral," Jake asked looking at me and Albert with a glare, "Why did you invite them, teach?"

"I was the one who paid Mr. Death here to watch over you and Reina," I said pulling out my PDA and handing it to Jake with my financials on screen, "These are my financials following July of ninety-eight six years after you were born. I set up an account to send your mother around two thousand five hundred US dollars every month."

"She told me a long time ago that we had a benefactor from the US. Someone who she was close to for quite a long time. But that doesn't prove that she meant anything to you." Jake snapped, and I noticed Albert's hands tightened.

"My treasure, grab my purse from the car. I need my wallet." I turned towards Wesker, and he nodded, walking off.

"Of course, dearheart, but be careful." He said, walking over to the car.

"What calling off your guard dog? That seems like a dumb move, lady. Especially in these parts, the gangs would tear a rich lady like you up and spit you out in the gutter." Jake said a nasty smirk on his face.

"That's enough, Jake!" HUNK snapped, "Ms. Redfield was my best student when I was employed as a trainer by Umbrella. She probably could kick your ass well up and down this cemetery if she saw fit."

"At ease, Grim, it's not like I couldn't, but I won't. I would not do that to Reina's kid. Not to mention, I'm nine weeks along with triplets. At my age, I have to be extra careful, I already broke my foot in an attempt to escape a B.O.W. I'm not testing my luck anymore this week." I said, Jake, staring in disbelief.

"Damn teach! How old are you?" Jake asked, scrolling through the PDA, "Wait a minute, why are there pictures of me in the photo library? Just who are you?".

"Here you are, dearheart," Albert said, jogging up behind me at a normal human pace and handing me my purse.

"Thank you, love," I said, opening the purse and wallet.

"I asked, who the hell are you?" Jake said, almost getting in my face.

I pulled out my favorite picture, one I knew there were only two copies of. It was of me, Jake, and Reina in the delivery room just after his birth. I placed it in front of his face and softened my voice.

"My name is Tabitha Elise Redfield. This is my husband Albert. Our actual last name is of no consequence. However, this photo is. This photo was taken on June twenty-first nineteen ninety-two. I had just given birth to a male with red hair and beautiful blue eyes. My best friend, who I came to Edonia to find, was beside me in this photo. I was just handed my baby when the doctors took this picture." I said, holding back tears.

"That's the picture Ma had on her nightstand. She always told me that this was her luckiest day. That she would one day tell me about the lady in this picture. When she was on her deathbed, she asked me to bring this picture to her. Said that it was time I knew the truth. I was gone not even thirty minutes. By the time I got back, she was crashing. They wouldn’t let me be by her side." Jake started crying, taking the photo from my hands.

"It's alright, kido. Let it out. You can trust her. It's him I am weary of." HUNK said, pointing at Wesk.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it, Mr. Death? I assure you I'm only here to support my Tabitha." Albert said, holding my stomach, "as well as keeping her and our little ones safe."

"I am sorry to pry, but can we return to Ms. Mueller's funeral? I'm sure you lovely folk can talk after I finish her burial rights." The priest said, walking up behind Jake and HUNK.

"Oh, sorry, Father, I didn't mean to intrude." I quickly apologized as did Albert.

"Then let's head back to the grave site. As long as Mr. Mueller allows it to stay." The father said, walking back.

"Yeah, they can come, but if I find out you're lying to me about who you are, I will not be friendly," Jake said, walking back.

I followed them, but Wesk went back to the car. I could tell Jake was getting under his skin. They were very much alike, temperament-wise, at least. It made me chuckle.

I wasn't going to demand Jake to come live with me and Albert. That wouldn't be right. Reina raised him. I knew I had no claims to call him son. I was just an egg donor. The same could be said about Albert being the sperm donor.

I thought back to my two childhood friends. Jake, who had died of gang violence in Raccoon City when I was fourteen. Reina, who was now beneath my feet from lymphoma. I had a perfectly resin-encased Ice Follies Daffodil in my purse, the same type we had buried with our friend back in seventy-five.

When the priest stopped his prayers, he asked if I had anything to say. I thought for a moment and nodded. HUNK placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and looked at the freshly dug grave.

"Reina, I'm sorry. I honestly don't have much to say. I was a failure of a friend to you. After you moved out of Raccoon to Edonia. It was only by chance I found you again. I stayed with you in hiding for roughly seven months. Those were some of my favorite days. When your son was born, it was the happiest I've ever seen you. You had always wanted to be a mom since we were kids. I knew I had made the right choice when I saw how you held him." I said to the casket.

Jake stared my way with a confused look on his face. He stared at me and then at the picture, then back at me. I saw the gears in his head slowly starting to click into place.

I sighed and lightly kicked my bad foot, "That day while one of my saddest was also one of my happiest. I was able to make my best friend's dream a reality. When we looked at each other and laughed, we both knew then, didn't we? What do you have to name him? Did we not? A name that shared equal meaning to us, Jacob. The name of our friend who brought us all together and held us together like fucking glue. We both know he was in the delivery room that night, keeping an eye on our dumbasses. Reina, just as you promised me that day. I promise the same to you now here and on your grave. I will watch over your son and make sure to do my best to guide him like you did for me. I have something for you, ya know. A daffodil preserved in resin. It's just like the fresh ones we gave Jacob when he passed. You both loved the daffodilys that grew at school."

I pulled out the flower and placed it on the casket. Jake went wide-eyed but smiled and opened the top of the bare casket. I smiled and took one last look at Reina. She looked tired but at peace. A small smile on her lips. Her flowing ginger locks were brushed back and washed. I place the bloom in her cold, fragile hands. Jake closed the casket and I knew the last little bit I had to say.

"Reina, I promise I'll keep him on a path you would be proud of. He is the most sacred bond we have. May you find your way to your eternal spring filled with dillys, and shadows guide you, goodbye." I slightly bow.

HUNK nodded and I saw Jake with tears in his eyes. He was trying to hide it with his arm but it was obvious. When she was lowered into the grave I let my emotions show and cried. The last bit of my contacts dissolved as I wept my tears. I reached into my purse as the rain started to fall. Placing on my new corrective shades I look up to the sky.

"Heaven weeps as a new angel crosses through those golden gates." The Father said pulling out a rickety old umbrella.

Wesker walked up behind me holding a sturdy black umbrella as it began to pour, "Lotus, come wait in the car. We don't want to risk you catching a cold with the little ones still growing. I'll help bury her. That way I can at least pay my respects to Ms. Reina."

"There is no need for that. You four go to Mr. Mueller's home and have a meal. Reina was a member of my flock. I shall see that her grave is fully tended to before the rain stops." The father said reluctantly smiling.

"You both follow me and teach. We will take you guys back to mine and my mother's place, however, once we are there we need to have something settled." Jake said handing me back my picture.

"Are you sure you want to go down this path kid? Where we three are from there is no turning back." HUNK said staring at Jake.

"I sure teach and I think Mom didn't want me to hate my biological mother and father. At least that is the vibe I'm reading. Isn't that right mother, father?" Jake said scratching the back of his neck.

"It would be better if we discussed this at a secure place, but yes you are right. In both senses." I said.

"Then let us take my Mercedes. That way we can avoid this rain." Albert said pulling out his keys.

"Mercedes? Are you guys loaded?" Jake asked a bit annoyed.

"Off the records Yes but it's hard to be rich legally when technically we both have died," I said laughing as we started walking towards the car.

HUNK and Albert laughed while Jake looked confused.

"What does that mean?" He asked trying to catch up.

This was going to be a hard discussion.

Hey everyone slifarianhawk here and welcome to 2024. Yep already off to a good start. A chapter on the second day of the year. That's a first for me. Well, I hope everyone enjoyed their New Years. The next chapter will be a good one. My name is Slifarianhawk and I'm not so far away.